Gladiator Ways Slot Review

There are three main features—the Wild Gladiator Collection feature, the Free Spins round, and the Feature Buy option. The majority of the game, however, relies on collecting the wild gladiators. As a result, the action is not what I would call very hot here.

Wild Gladiator Collection Feature

The Wild Gladiator Collection feature can be triggered by collecting Golden Shields on each spin. Each stronger wild is unlocked progressively as you collect more shields. Their size and positions on the reels will increase with each level.

You need to collect 10, 20, and 30 Golden Shields to unlock Gladiator 2, 3, and 4 wilds, respectively. The first one is unlocked from the beginning of the game. The larger the wild gladiator, the higher the potential for big wins. The wilds substitute for all regular symbols—so the higher the gladiator you have unlocked during the gameplay, the more you stand to win.

As the game progresses, the wilds will appear more often. The game really becomes more enjoyable as you play more, and it is perfectly normal to not get any big wins before you have unlocked Gladiator 2.

Free Spins Round

Landing three or more Scatter (Gladiator Queen) symbols on reels 2, 3, 4, and 5 will trigger the Free Spins round. You will get up to 14 free spins. Interestingly, two random wild gladiators are guaranteed to land on each spin during this round.

With 3 scatters, you will get 7 free spins and with 4 scatters, you will get 14 of them. Wild gladiators will only appear on reels 2-5, with additional unlocked wilds available during the round as well.

Assuming you have up to four wild gladiators in play, there is good potential for a large payout during the Free Spins feature. This is where you can realise the 2,176x max win multiplier. 

Feature Buy Option

The game also has a typical Feature Buy option for when you do not want to wait to trigger either of the bonuses. You can either buy Free Spins for 70x your current bet or any gladiator for 10x your current bet. If you buy the gladiator feature, you are guaranteed to land any gladiator wild in the next spin. 

All wilds will be unlocked for the duration of the game round for either of the Feature Buy options.

Gladiator Ways from Red Tiger Gaming is a solid offering for fans of arena-themed slots, combining unique wild mechanics and a free spins feature. While the game offers plenty of action with its Wild Gladiator Collection and the ability to unlock larger wilds, the max win of 2,176x the bet feels a bit underwhelming considering the game's high volatility and multiple ways to win. It is a visually impressive game with a well-executed theme, but the potential rewards do not fully match the hype of the gameplay. With a base RTP slightly below average and a focus on the unlocking mechanic, Gladiator Ways might appeal more to players looking for a fun and visually immersive experience rather than high-paying thrills.

Rating: 6 (Okay)

For all the fun and action there is in the game, the max win is capped at a right 2,176x. With a few interesting gimmicks and a standard free spins round as well, you would expect the wins to be a little higher. Instead, the only way to realise the maximum win is during the free spins. The same game without the “ways to win” mechanic would have been more rewarding, with a higher base RTP. But maybe this is the experience and payout level that Red Tiger deliberately intended for players with its new arena-themed game.